At the start of a new year, so many of us vow to accomplish different goals or make changes in our lives. In talking to people, it seems most resolutions fail but some don’t. What’s the difference? What’s the secret sauce?
A few years ago, I stumbled upon a few strategies that have helped me make BIG changes in my life without needing to make drastic adjustments. When it comes to exercising, I went from sporadically working out on weekends to working out at least six days a week.
I stopped thinking about “exercise” and started thinking about something more tangible. I told myself I’d complete 90 push-ups and run a mile every day. That was my goal. basic, and didn’t seem ambitious, I didn’t have to think about what workout to complete in the gym or when I’d be able to fit it into my schedule. At most, this was 15-20 minutes of each day. Fast forward two years later, and I’m disciplined in completing full-fledged workouts almost every day of the week.
Here are the strategies I used to create a goal and make some BIG changes in my life:
- Start small – The grander the resolution, the more likely it will fail. If I would have told myself I’d run 10 miles a day, I probably would have lasted one day. Then I would have felt like a failure, and stopped working out. Choose an action that won’t be hard to complete.
- Keep it simple – For me, running a mile and doing 90 push-ups was simple and straightforward. I didn’t need any equipment or a special location. There’s nothing complicated about it. It made it easier to accomplish.
- Focus on the successes, not the failures – While I’d love to say that I never missed a workout, that’s definitely not the case. Life happens. Instead of using that missed workout as an excuse to give it, hold yourself accountable to making the next workout. Which leads me to my next point…
- Track it – There’s something so gratifying about seeing a streak continue to increase. I keep track of 2-3 areas I want to focus on to see whether I’m making the progress I want to see. Find an app, use a calendar, or keep track in a notepad on your phone.
- Push yourself every 2-3 months – Once I built the habit around running and doing push-ups every day, I started to add in other exercises. Two years later, I’m working through 90 day workout programs that I never would have been able to complete when I first started.
When we tell ourselves that we’re going to “exercise,” “read more,” or “eat better,” we’re setting ourselves up for failure. I didn’t need to be convinced to exercise. I knew how good it was for me. I just needed to commit to exercising. The strategies I listed above made BIG change possible for me, and can for you too.
Regardless what you want to focus on, make sure you give yourself a real chance for success this year.
